The Arsenal star was involved in a tense altercation with the injured Real Madrid defender following a controversial first-half penalty.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka found himself at the center of a fiery confrontation with Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal during halftime of their Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The incident occurred after Saka’s audacious Panenka penalty was comfortably saved by Thibaut Courtois in the first half. As the players headed toward the tunnel, Carvajal—currently sidelined with an ACL injury—approached Saka, grabbing him by the neck before raising his hand aggressively. The two then engaged in a heated exchange, with teammates and staff quickly intervening to separate them.
Saka, visibly frustrated, pushed Carvajal away, while Arsenal substitute Ben White rushed to his teammate’s defense. The exact cause of the altercation remains unclear, but Carvajal may have taunted the England international over his failed spot-kick.
Referee François Letexier had awarded the penalty after ruling that Real Madrid’s Rüdiger fouled Mikel Merino in the box. However, Saka’s attempted chip was poorly executed, drawing criticism from pundits.
Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson, speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, said: “I’m stunned by Saka’s penalty choice. It was a terrible attempt—Courtois read it easily.” TNT Sports analyst Ally McCoist added: “The keeper makes a great save, but that penalty was weak. Saka gave him a chance with that soft chip.”
Despite the first-half drama, Saka had the final say, redeeming himself with a superb 65th-minute strike to put Arsenal ahead. Vinícius Júnior equalized for Madrid after capitalizing on a William Saliba error, but the Gunners’ resolute defense held firm. A late goal from Gabriel Martinelli sealed a 2-1 victory on the night, though it wasn’t enough to overturn their 3-0 first-leg deficit.
The tunnel clash added another layer of intensity to an already thrilling European encounter, leaving fans buzzing over the fiery exchange between Saka and Carvajal.
